Swimming appliance



Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN FIMEADOWS, OF BRAN'SON, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD I-I. NECU'LDECK, OE BRAHSQN, MISSOURI.

SWIMMING APPLIANCE.

Application filed March 14, 1925. Serial No. 15,566.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, REUBEN F. MEADOWS,

a citizen of thev United States, residing at Branson, in the county of Taney and State 6 of li Iissouri, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in Swimming Appliances, of which the following is a specification, reference being had. to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to swimming devices, and particularly to devices adapted to be attached to the arm and having blades which feather upon the forward stroke of the arm.

The general object of the invention is to provide a device ofthis character which is very simple, which is light and yet strong, and in which; the blades will present a large and effective surface to the water.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is adapted to be carried upon the forearm and into which and from which the arms and hands may be.

readily slipped in case of necessity, and which will permit freedom for swimming movement of the arms.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view: of my swimming device looking toward the inside thereof;

Figure 2 is a perspective view looking toward the front of the device;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.;

Figure 4 is a perspective View of one of the intermediate frames;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the end frame at the handle end of the device;

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that my device comprises a semi-circular body 10 of thin metal, which is adapted to fit over the outside face of the forearm and has a length approximately that of the forearm from the wrist to the elbow joint. Attached to the interior of this semicircular body are three frames 11, 12 and 13. The frames 11 and 12 are similar and each frame is formed to provide an approximately U-shaped portion which fits within the semicircular body and extends inward from said body and a cross bar 14 which 55 engages and spaces apart the two sides of the. body and, of course, extends beneath the arm.

The frame 13 is similar in every respect but one to the frames 11 and 12 but it is provided with a U-shaped handle portion, designated generally 15, which extends out at right. angles to the frame and which is located approximately at the end edges of the U-shapedbody. This U-shaped frame is formed to provide the cross bar 16 with which the hand of the swimmer is adapted to engage. Each of these frames is formed with laterally projecting stop lugs 17, as shown particularly in Figures et and 5.

The U;-shap.ed body is formed at its side edges to form a plurality of knuckle beads 18, and coacting with these beads are the two wings or blades 19,. each'of which at its inner end is provided with knuckle beads 20 disposed to interdigitate with the knuckle beads 18 and be engaged therewith by longitudinally extending pintles 21. It will be seen that the beads on the wings or blades 19 are so formed that the lugs 17 extend out behind these wings so that as a stroke is made and the swlmmers arm moves back ward to propel the body forward the wings 19 will open and strike against these stop lugs and, therefore, be held against any further open movement so that at this time the wings are disposed at approximately right angles to the plane of the handle 15. Upon the reverse movement of the swimmers arm the pressure of water will cause the Wings to close into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 or feather and this feathering action continues until the arm again makes a forward stroke, when the blades open to the position shown in full lines in Figure 3 and against the stop lugs 17. The hand of the swimmer grasps the cross bar 16 so as to prevent the device from slipping off the arm. Preferably the device is iiormed of aluminum as being particularly lig it.

The particular advantage of this device resides in the fact that there are no straps or other fastening devices which are to be buckled or otherwise fastened around the arm and which will interfere with the ready attachment of the device to the arm or the ready detachment of the arm therefrom. It often becomes necessary for a swimmer to detach his arm from swimming devices and this is very readily accomplished with my device. Furthermore, the arm may be readily slipped within the U-shaped frames or slipped therefrom, and it has been found in practice that this makes the device particularly convenient to use and particularly safe.

Obviously the device may be made in various sizes, and I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction illustrated as these might be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. A swimming device of the character described comprising a semi-circular body of sheet metal, a plurality of Ushaped frames disposed within the body and each frame including a cross bar, and blades hinged to the side edges of the body, the body being formed with stops limiting the opening movement of the blades.

2. A swimming device of the character escribed comprising a sheet metal body U- shaped in cross section and open at its ends and formed at the side edges with hinge beads, a plurality of U-shaped frames disposed within the body and extending be yond the side edges of the same, each U- shaped frame including a cross brace, one of the braces at one end of the body being formed with a U-shaped handle disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the braces, stop lugs projecting laterally from the braces in opposite directions, and blades having hinge beads coaoting with the hinge beads on the body and hinged thereto, said blades when disposed in planes at right angles to the sides of the frames bearing against said stop lugs.

3. A swimming device of the character described comprising a semi-circular body of sheet metal having its edges formed with hinge heads, a plurality of supporting frames disposed against the concave face of the body and attached thereto and projecting beyond the body, each of these frames bein g formed to provide a closed loop through which the arm may be passed and one of the frames at the extremity of the body being formed with a handle, blades hinged to the side edges of the body and in one position bearing against the sides of said frames and in another position being disposed at right angles thereto, and lugs limiting the opening movement of the blades to a position at right angles to the frames.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

REUBEN F. MEADOWS. 

